Market Overview - Major U.S. indexes closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.47% to 48,362.68, the S&P 500 advancing 0.6% to 6,878.49, and the Nasdaq adding 0.5% to finish at 23,428.82 [1] Novo Nordisk - Novo Nordisk's stock saw a slight increase of 0.01%, closing at $48.10, with an intraday high of $48.22 and a low of $47.59; the stock surged nearly 9.5% in after-hours trading to $52.66 [2] - The FDA approved Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill, the first oral GLP-1 therapy authorized in the U.S. for long-term weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction, based on the OASIS trial where patients lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight [3] Starfighters Space Inc. - Starfighters Space shares skyrocketed by 372.97%, closing at $31.50, with an intraday high of $31.50 and a low of $6.40; however, the stock plummeted 23.75% to $24.02 in after-hours trading [4] - The surge followed the company's IPO priced at $3.59, raising $40 million for hypersonic research and satellite launch operations, amid strong momentum in the space sector driven by defense contracts and investor interest [5] D-Wave Quantum Inc. - D-Wave Quantum's stock climbed 20.07%, closing at $32.19, with a high of $32.39 and a low of $27.62 [6] - The stock's increase was part of a late-December "Santa Rally," driven by retail investors focusing on high-beta quantum computing names, with D-Wave's shares jumping nearly 20% after announcing its Advantage2 system will feature at CES 2026 [7] Sidus Space Inc. - Sidus Space shares jumped 96.98%, closing at $2.28, with an intraday high of $2.59 and a low of $1.80; the stock dropped 39.2% in after-hours trading [8] - The surge was attributed to the company being selected as a contract awardee under the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD IDIQ program, supporting the Golden Dome missile defense strategy [9] ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. - ZIM Integrated Shipping saw a 3.27% rise, closing at $19.88, with an intraday high of $20.14 and a low of $19.30; in extended trading, the stock rose 11.7% to $22.20 [11] - The increase followed the company receiving multiple competitive proposals for acquiring all outstanding shares, with the board evaluating these offers as part of a strategic review [12]

MSCI Inc.’s gauge of Asia Pacific equities rose 0.3% early on Tuesday after an index of global stocks set a fresh closing record. Japan’s Topix climbed 0.5%. US index futures were up slightly, while gold added to its gains after finishing at an all-time high.The upbeat mood in the US session helped the S&P 500 erase December losses and put it on course for an eighth straight month of gains, which would mark the longest winning run since 2018. Tesla Inc. and Nvidia Corp. led megacaps higher. “Everything is ...

Market Outlook - The market is expected to experience a "Santa rally" as many money managers are likely to engage in catch-up trades and window dressing due to underperformance against their indexes [2][3] - A risk-on environment is emerging, particularly in the AI sector, which has seen significant price corrections but is now attracting renewed interest [3][4] Sector Rotation - The company anticipates a rotation away from technology stocks, which are expected to be overbought and crowded in early 2026, towards economically sensitive sectors such as small caps and financials [6][8][10] - Small caps are showing signs of breaking out after a prolonged period of underperformance, with a year-over-year growth of approximately 20% expected, making them a more favorable investment compared to tech [12][15] Investment Strategy - The focus will shift to sectors that benefit from a more accommodative Federal Reserve and an accelerating GDP, particularly financials and industrials [10][11] - The company plans to maintain a position in technology but will reduce exposure significantly in the first quarter of 2026, as the risk-reward profile for tech is deemed poor [6][8] Specific Stock Picks - Apple is highlighted as a key investment for 2026 due to low market expectations and increasing sales in China, positioning it as a defensive tech play [17][19] - The US home construction ETF (ITB) is identified as a contrarian play, with potential bullish catalysts from improved mortgage rates and supportive government policies aimed at reviving the housing market [20][21][23]

Core Insights - The final trading weeks of 2025 are experiencing a "Santa Rally" driven by retail investors, particularly in quantum stocks [1] - Institutional trading desks are less active during the holiday season, allowing retail momentum to influence small-cap stocks more easily [4] Retail-Fueled Momentum - Retail investors, referred to as the "diamond hands" crowd, are increasingly investing in high-beta quantum stocks, supported by positive year-end milestones and bullish analyst coverage from firms like Jefferies and Wedbush [2] Quantum Stock Leaders - D-Wave Quantum, Inc. (NYSE:QBTS) saw a nearly 20% increase in stock price after confirming its Advantage2 annealing system will be featured at CES 2026, indicating strong retail sentiment [5] - Rigetti Computing, Inc. (NASDAQ:RGTI) is benefiting from social media buzz, with a focus on its 2026 roadmap that promises higher-qubit systems with lower error rates [5] - IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) experienced gains due to the broader sector rally and recent analyst "Buy" ratings, emphasizing its 99.9% fidelity milestones [5] - Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:QUBT) gained traction following the completion of its acquisition of Luminar Semiconductor, positioning itself as a key player in the domestic supply chain for TFLN chips [5]

Market Overview - The Russell 2000 index is leading the market with a gain of 0.96%, while large-cap indexes like the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow are also trading higher, up 0.45%, 0.41%, and 0.35% respectively [2] - The Cboe Volatility Index is at a nearly three-month low, indicating reduced market volatility as U.S. equities approach all-time highs [7] Technology Sector - Nvidia is set to begin shipping its advanced H200 AI chips to China early next year, boosting optimism in tech stocks, with Nvidia up 1.1% [3] - Tesla shares have reached an all-time high, increasing by 3% due to positive sentiment surrounding its Robotaxi initiative [3] Other Sectors - Financials, consumer-exposed plays, and the energy sector are also contributing to the market's upward movement [4] - Paramount Skydance has returned to Warner Bros. Discovery with an improved offer, impacting Netflix's stock negatively, which is down 1% [4] Commodities - Gold is trading at $4,459.50, up 1.64%, nearing all-time highs, while silver, platinum, and palladium have also seen significant increases [5] - WTI Crude oil has risen by 2.55% to $57.96, while natural gas has continued its decline, down 2.49% to $3.884 [5]

This has been the chip maker's year, and the final two weeks of 2025 give the stock one more opportunity to prove it. ...

Group 1 - Clearwater Analytics is being taken private, indicating a significant shift in its corporate structure and potential for future growth opportunities [1] - Disney's latest Avatar film has topped the box office, reflecting strong consumer interest and potential revenue generation for the company [1]

Company Developments - IGO Ltd (ASX:IGO) has commenced construction of its new lithium plant at Greenbushes, with a projected capacity of approximately 500,000 tonnes per year of spodumene concentrate [5] - Champion Iron (ASX:CIA) is pursuing the acquisition of Norwegian iron ore producer Rana Gruber for around US$289 million, marking an overseas expansion [5] - Monadelphous has been selected to assist Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) in building a significant link at the Brockman Syncline iron development in Western Australia [6] - Eminence Minerals (ASX:EMA) has concluded its hearing with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee regarding two new Aboriginal sites near the Hamersley Iron Ore Project, with findings expected in early 2026 [6] Market Overview - Australian shares are up by 0.5% at the start of the last week of the year, influenced by the upcoming holiday breaks [1] - The major U.S. indices have shown positive performance, with the S&P gaining 0.9%, the Dow Jones advancing 0.4%, and the Nasdaq increasing by 1.4% due to AI-related gains [3] - European markets also experienced gains, with the Eurostoxx up by 0.4% and the FTSE adding 0.6% [3] Commodity Prices - The Australian dollar is trading at 66.1 U.S. cents [7] - Iron ore prices have decreased by approximately 0.4%, now at $104.50 per tonne in Singapore [7] - Brent crude remains stable at $60.47 per barrel [7] - Gold is priced at $4,350 per ounce [7] - U.S. natural gas futures have increased by 2%, reaching $3.98 per gigajoule [7]

Market Sentiment - The report suggests a potential "Santa Rally" driven by optimism, but it's described as a "last ditch" effort [1] - The market's hope for a Santa Rally may be dependent on external factors [1] Investment & Funding - OpenAI is reportedly seeking $100 billion from sovereign wealth funds [1] - Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth funds may be involved in providing financial support to OpenAI [1]

Market Trends - Bitcoin and crypto Santa Rally odds crater [1]